Winter Hypermiling Tips...

[Glenn]

well that makes me feel better, i only got 44mpg on the last tank. i mustve made some mistake filling it last time when i thought i got 66mpg on a long run, i knew that was too good to be true. see i found out this little trick where in the passat you can let the air out of the expansion gap in the top of the tank give about 15litres more room! not safe to leave it parked full on a hot day but safe enough if you are driving it off immediately. anyway i mustve made a mistake with letting out all the air so combing the figures i get 51.4 which is pretty much bang on manufacturers combined figure and im happy enough with that considering my journeys are less than 14miles. i can get 800miles on a full tank with the cheat that means if i did a long journey it could go over 1000! probably never get a chance to find out though. plus it just cost me £75 to fill it!

[Karl]

I am happy to report that since the ice and snow has dissapeared my MPG has shot back up again. I didnt expect the ice to have this much effect on my consuption but maybe its something to do with the roads I use not being gritted.

[Karl]

We've not really had a hard winter so far so I'm gonna put together some new winter fuel saving tips.

Are there any more people would like to contribute?

[frv]

I might drop the tyre pressures from 58 to 55

[greenman]

We've not really had a hard winter so far so I'm gonna put together some new winter fuel saving tips.

Are there any more people would like to contribute?

Pray for a warm winter!!

[Karl]

I know it causes complete chaos and terrible MPG but I'm hoping for a little bit of snow this year. The kids love it!

[greenman]

I have snow socks ready for the snow since buying them a couple of years ago I have had no chance to use them!

[frv]

Watch your battery level.

I 'bought' a gauge (used cashback from TCB on Amazon) to plug into cigar socket. If it get's low (below 11.8V) which happens when lights, heater, etc. are on in winter plus switching engine off at lights / when FASing, etc, I top it up with a trickle charger - or at least I did until garage got knocked down
I may have to run my extension lead out of a window if necessary...

[frv]

Cover your car on frosty mornings.

It's a really simple thing but loads of people don't do it, they just switch the engine on and let it idle for ages with blower on and/or squirt de-icer everywhere (I never use it). What a waste of time.
Just cover your car - I use 2 old king size bed sheets - front one covers the windscreen, both front windows and mirrors and usually windscreen squirters. I tuck them into the doors and pop the wipers on top. When you are ready to go, sheets off (I used to hang them on the garage door handle if they were damp, if not pop 'em in the boot), drive - just don't risk cleaning your windscreen for a few miles.

If required, I always use an ice scraper I keep in the car and I always scrape with the engine off - don't want to waste any precious fuel

[Karl]

haha - I missed this yesterday and had to chip away at the screen for 5 minutes. No amount of de-icer could get through it.

Last night I made sure it was covered and you guessed it... no ice!